We are going to show you seven ways to enhance your dance costume using paint. Paint will add a little texture and weight to a light weight skirt and a little texture up towards your face. It will draw everybody’s eye towards wherever you apply this paint.
The first technique that we are going to show you is painting lace. The lace does not have to be a skirt as shown in our demonstration. However, if you do use it on a skirt, you want to be aware that the weight of the paint and any rhinestones you may add will help pull the skirt around and cause a very pretty movement in the skirt. If you add paint to a top, it generates an extra dimension wherever you apply it and draws the judge’s eyes to the dancer’s face.
The next use of paint that we are going to demonstrate is how to form leaves. It is a fantastic technique to use if you want a jungle feel or outdoor tribal feel. This is a great idea for you if that is your goal.
In this section, we are going to demonstrate how to use paint to “hem” a garment. This comes in really handy when you want to create the effect of a rolled hem but do not have a machine available that will perform that function. This is a very simple method to achieve that goal.
Adding glitter to paint is the next technique that we are going to demonstrate. It is a fantastic method to use if you have a small budget. It will sparkle like rhinestones and it will give an abundance of beauty and texture.
With this next process, we are going to show you how to paint some very simple flowers on any fabric. It is a marvelous bang for your buck. Instead of using a large number of rhinestones, you can just scatter them in among the flowers. It will create texture on a solid fabric.
Next, we will show you how painting swirls using fabric paint is a great technique that will create the illusion of length and texture on a garment using a very small amount of paint.
Finally, we are going to show you how to use fabric paint to create a fade pattern on a garment. This is the perfect answer if you would like an ombre effect but want to have more control and definition than you would get by using fabric dye.
1.How to Paint Lace
Here we are going to show you how to paint on a lace skirt giving it a little texture, helping the weight and the flow of the skirt. It is an excellent look to bring a little dimension to your lace garment. Recently while on a trip to Miami, we saw a gorgeous lace top in a specialty store. It was used on a bustier. We tried to determine where we could obtain this stunning fabric. During this process, we realized that they had simply applied puffy paint to lace and created a very dramatic look to the top.
2.How to Use Paint to Create Leafs and Feathers For A Dance Costume
This method is an easy way to create leaves or feathers and is a fantastic way to create a tribal or jungle look. One of our favorite things to do is to see something that attracts our attention and figure out how somebody created it. We have seen mesh in strips that look like feathers and leaves. We can tell they were not cut. We also know were they not sewn because sewing with stretch mesh leaves a little bowing effect to the edge. That is often called a “lettuce leaf” effect. Consequently, when we saw those leaves, we tried to figure out how they were created. We realized that someone had done it by using paint and that was our start. With a little trial and error, we were able to replicate the look.
3. Hemming with Paint
“Hemming” with paint is very simple and really comes in handy when you want the look of a rolled hem on your garment but do not have a sewing machine that is capable of making a rolled hem. This method could also come in very handy if you are at an overnight competition and find you need to make a change in your hem. You just need to make sure you have time to let the paint dry thoroughly. This method can be used whenever you might want to use a rolled hem – the hem of a skirt or blouse or even the hem of sleeves. When using paint over a large area like the hem of a garment, it is important to add textile medium to the paint before painting the garment. Textile medium added to the paint will make the painted fabric more pliable.
4.How to Add Glitter to A Dance Costume
The use of paint to create a fade pattern is an easy way to obtain an ombre effect when you are not comfortable using dye.
Using paint will give you more control and, as a result, a more accurate pattern than you can achieve using dye. Fade patterns provide a simple pattern that is unique, custom and looks expensive when it is actually very inexpensive. An important benefit to this technique is that you can cover up imperfections of your body, i.e., using dark paint to slenderize the hips.
5. Painting Flowers onto Clothing
Painting simple flowers create a dramatic impact on a solid fabric. We have done it here on a plain bra so that you can see it. You can make it in a couple sof shades of the same color, us several colors or make it monochromatic. It is a great technique to add just a little dimension to any fabric.
6. Painting Swirls on Fabric
Creating swirls using a small amount of fabric paint is a great technique that provides the illusion of length and texture to your garment. This is a very simple concept using “S” patterns down the side of a leg or the length of a sleeve. This pattern is lightweight and not overwhelming.
7. Fading With Paint
The use of paint to create a fade pattern is an easy way to obtain an ombre effect when you are not comfortable using dye.
Using paint will give you more control and, as a result, a more accurate pattern than you can achieve using dye. Fade patterns provide a simple pattern that is unique, custom and looks expensive when it is actually very inexpensive. An important benefit to this technique is that you can cover up imperfections of your body, i.e., using dark paint to slenderize the hips.
